I was using the wrong screwdriver for laptop hinges for years

A client brought in a Dell Latitude with a wobbly screen, and I grabbed my usual Phillips #1. After stripping two screws, I noticed the heads were actually JIS, not Phillips (they look almost the same). I ordered a Vessel Megadora JIS #1 driver for $15, and now those hinge jobs take half the time with no damage. It was a small detail I never checked before. Has anyone else run into this with specific brands?

3 comments

3 Comments

veraw471mo ago

JIS vs Phillips" is one of those things you don't know until you know, right?

the_morgan1mo ago

Don't buy into the hype. I've been using Phillips screwdrivers on Japanese bikes and electronics for twenty years and never had a problem. You just need to push hard and make sure the bit is dead center. People strip screws because they're in a hurry or using the wrong size bit, not because of some minor difference in the tip angle. The whole JIS thing is just another way for tool companies to sell you something you don't need. If you're hammering in a screwdriver that's already loose in the head, that's on you, not the tool.

benwilliams1mo ago

My old Honda taught me that lesson the hard way. A JIS screwdriver is worth the ten bucks to avoid stripping those heads.